'It's About Us'

One more before the break.

The Flames look to author a feel-good conclusion to their six-game homestand as the Blackhawks pay their lone visit of the regular season to the Scotiabank Saddledome. Get tickets

A win tonight, and Calgary’s current four-game slide fades a bit in the rearview mirror.

Important, especially with a bye week and the NHL All-Star Weekend on the docket over the seven days following tonight’s encounter with Chicago.

Flames captain Mikael Backlund figures tonight’s result will go a long way toward determining just how much he and his teammates enjoy their time away.

“We want to finish playing really well,” Backlund said, “go into the break feeling better about ourselves and the way we play lately.

“We have more to give, tonight it’s all about winning one game.”

Forward Jonathan Huberdeau agrees, noting the focus of tonight’s contest should be all about righting the ship.

"I think it’s about us, we lost four games at home, that can’t happen," Huberdeau said Saturday morning. "That stretch was important, it’s been tough for us.

"(Tonight’s) game is huge, just before we go on the break, feel good about ourselves, it’s a huge game for us."

Backlund’s been one of Calgary’s most consistent skaters at both ends of the ice this season, while Huberdeau is tied for the team lead with eight assists in January.

They’ve both admitted to seeing slumping shoulders at times during the team’s recent skid, but according to Backlund, the attitude was where it needed to be at morning skate, ahead of a Saturday evening tilt on the national stage.

“You feel this morning, guys are energized and ready to go,” he said. “Everyone knows the energy’s been down at times in games, we know it’s going to be a big factor for us and something we have to bring.

“Just leave it all out there tonight.”

Between them, Backlund and Huberdeau have over 1,750 games of NHL regular season experience, meaning they’ve been through ups and downs over the course of their careers.

How the team responds to the low points, both in games and over the course of a season, speaks to character.

For Huberdeau, tonight’s a chance to test that response time.

“Resiliency is the identity of our team,” he said. “I think we need that back and it’s going to be there tonight.”